I remember waking up to the sounds of my mother’s screams. I remember my father’s eyes widening in shock, my brother Tim’s shaking hands fumbling to grasp the edge of the bus seat. With panic running through my veins and fear enveloping every word I uttered, I remember standing by helplessly while I thought my brother Matthew was going to die right in front of my eyes.
I woke up as my mother attempted to climb over me. We were in Ireland chasing my mother’s roots and I had been asleep, exhausted from the five-hour time change which had drained my energy and my spirit. My eyes opened to the sight of my brother shaking violently, blood oozing out of his mouth.
One of the paramedics eventually explained to me that my brother had suffered a seizure, …show more content…
Having autism is not a death sentence. It should not have taken a potentially life-shattering event to realize how fortunate I am to have my brother. Although my brother no longer has seizures, the intense feelings of fear and guilt this experience evoked continue to sting. As time has passed, however, these feelings have blossomed into appreciation and comprehension.
Matt has taught me more than I have ever learned in a classroom. My brother has taught me that whether it’s by sitting with someone who is alone at lunch, or by complimenting someone as they pass by in the hallway, every seemingly small act of kindness can have a world of impact on another’s life. Kindness is the key to success; you never know the battles people are fighting behind closed doors.
Members of the disabled community are people first, and my brother is the person I strive to be. Matt may not understand every social cue or may not find a joke everyone loves funny, but he does understand what it is like to be alone in a crowded room. His relentless optimism and desire to catch every curveball thrown at him never fails to push me to want to be a voice for those who are often silenced, like other members of the disabled community. Through the organization Best Buddies I serve as one of thousands of speakers, amplifying a greater message that those with intellectual and developmental
I woke up as my mother attempted to climb over me. We were in Ireland chasing my mother’s roots and I had been asleep, exhausted from the five-hour time change which had drained my energy and my spirit. My eyes opened to the sight of my brother shaking violently, blood oozing out of his mouth.
One of the paramedics eventually explained to me that my brother had suffered a seizure, …show more content…
Having autism is not a death sentence. It should not have taken a potentially life-shattering event to realize how fortunate I am to have my brother. Although my brother no longer has seizures, the intense feelings of fear and guilt this experience evoked continue to sting. As time has passed, however, these feelings have blossomed into appreciation and comprehension.
Matt has taught me more than I have ever learned in a classroom. My brother has taught me that whether it’s by sitting with someone who is alone at lunch, or by complimenting someone as they pass by in the hallway, every seemingly small act of kindness can have a world of impact on another’s life. Kindness is the key to success; you never know the battles people are fighting behind closed doors.
Members of the disabled community are people first, and my brother is the person I strive to be. Matt may not understand every social cue or may not find a joke everyone loves funny, but he does understand what it is like to be alone in a crowded room. His relentless optimism and desire to catch every curveball thrown at him never fails to push me to want to be a voice for those who are often silenced, like other members of the disabled community. Through the organization Best Buddies I serve as one of thousands of speakers, amplifying a greater message that those with intellectual and developmental